The wiry Ratnayake made his debut as teenager and displayed the
ability to generate pace and bounce with his whippy action.
Ratnayake was a consistent performer during the late eighties
and early nineties troubling batsman with his ability to swing
the new ball at a lively pace. However, due to injury he was
never able to really fulfill his potential, though he showed
determination to return to test cricket he was never quite the
same bowler as in his younger days. Nevertheless he was a fine
test bowler and one of the better pace bowlers produced by the
island nation. A capable hitter in the lower order Ratnayake
played some handy innings with the bat.

Making his debut against New Zealand at Christchurch he made an
immediate impression taking the new ball providing the kiwi
batsman with some awkward moments. In the 1985/86 series against
India he came of age bowling superbly to capture 20 wickets at
22. At SSC he bowled with sustained pace and stamina capturing
6/85 from 41 overs. In Sri Lanka's comprehensive victory in the
second test Ratnayake was a major factor taking 9 wickets in the
match. Along with Ashantha de Mel and Saliya Ahangama the pace
trio tormented the Indian batsman leading Sri Lanka to an
inaugural series victory.

Niggling injuries were always a blight on his career, though he
toiled manfully in generally unresponsive conditions. On his day
he remained a quality pace bowler on the 1990/91 tour of
Australia he produced a outstanding display of swing bowling in
his only test at Hobart capturing 6/66. At Lords he gave another
a ccomplished display taking 5/69, his pace and swing causing the
English bats immeasurable trouble. With the bat he then rescued
the team with a bright half century. Too often though his
performances were let down with lackluster batting as Sri Lanka
customarily wasted opportunities to press home the advantage that
Ratnayake had helped achieve. Injuries limited his effectiveness
in the series in Pakistan and it proved to be his final test
series.